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This instant invention relates to new and unique electrical/electronic circuits for controlling the operation of dual lamp, two colored marker lighting systems for motor vehicles. There have been automotive aftermarket two colored lighting systems available to the general public that do not have National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) approval, (herein after referred to as NHTSA), because they did not cooperate completely with vehicle original equipment manufactures (herein after referred to as OEM), required lighting according to NHTSA Federal Motor Vehicle Standard No. 108. These two colored lighting systems generally illuminate in yellow and red. The major problem with the present control systems according to the NHTSA Chief Counsel Frank Seales, Jr. (Dec. 23, 1998), is that when the secondary or after market two colored lighting system is in the directional light flashing mode and supposed to cooperate with the original equipment manufactures system, the illumination on one or both sides of the vehicle would alternately flash between the two colors, yellow and red, and according to NHTSA could confuse following vehicle drivers creating a safety hazard.
A first embodiment of this invention is for vehicles with separate yellow directional lights. This first embodiment of this invention will remedy the NHTSA identified design safety problem and allow a two colored side marker light to illuminate yellow in a normal mode, flash between yellow and off in a directional light mode, and illuminate red in unison with the vehicle brake lights. When the vehicle is signaling a turn with illumination on the signaled side flashing between yellow and off, the illumination on the opposite side will light steady yellow until and unless the vehicle brakes are applied, at which time it will illuminate red in unison with the vehicle brake light.
A second embodiment of this invention will remedy the NHTSA identified problem of the two colored side marker light in the directional signal mode alternately flashing yellow and red for vehicles with combination red stop, red directional lights. This second embodiment will cause the side marker light on the signaled side to flash alternately red and off, in unison with the vehicles flashing red directional light, while the side marker light on the opposite side will illuminate yellow unless or until the vehicle brakes are applied, at which time the opposite side, side marker light will illuminate red with the vehicle red brake light.
A third embodiment of this invention will remedy the NHTSA identified problem of the two colored side marker light in the directional signal mode alternately flashing yellow and red for vehicles with separate red directional lights. This third embodiment of this invention will power down the yellow light and illuminate or flash the red directional light on the signaled side in unison with the OEM red directional light. This will occur whether the brake signal is on or off. The opposite side lights will maintain a steady yellow illumination if and until the brake is applied. When the brake is switched on the opposite side yellow light will extinguish and the red side marker light will operate in unison with the OEM red brake light.
A fourth embodiment of a two colored side marker light control system is not related to the aforementioned NHTSA identified problem of side marker light confusion, but instead relates to side marker lights that cooperate with police, fire, ambulance, school bus, and department of transportation vehicle lighting systems. There are numerous commercially available flashers for controlling flashing lights on these vehicles but they are expensive and most versions have limited control options. The fourth embodiment of this invention overcomes these problems. In the normal mode the side marker lights are not illuminated.
The side marker lights on both sides of the vehicle illuminate red in unison with the OEM brake lights. When the side marker light system power switch is moved from the off to on position, the side marker lights on both sides of the vehicle will flash between two colors, blue and red for police vehicles, red and white for fire department vehicles, yellow and white for department of transportation vehicles and red and yellow for medical vehicles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,225 issued to Currie on Mar. 21, 1995, Currie discloses in FIG. 6 a four relay control system that allows the side lights on both sides to illuminate normally yellow and flash between yellow and off on the signaled side. When the vehicle brakes are applied the operation of the yellow light on the signaled side changes from flashing between yellow and off to flashing between yellow and red.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,400, issued to Currie on Feb. 27, 1996, Currie discloses in FIG. 13 a four-relay system that illuminates both sides normally yellow, flashes between yellow and off on the signaled side, and changes to steady red when brakes are applied. If brakes are applied before a directional signal operates there will be no yellow directional flashing at all, and if brakes are applied after the directional starts flashing between yellow and off, the flashing will cease. In FIG. 14 Currie discloses a four-relay system that allows a rearward facing two-colored light system to illuminate red in low illumination power mode during no signal conditions, and illuminate red brightly when vehicle brakes are applied. This system will operate the lights on the directional light signaled side between dim red and yellow if the brakes are not applied, and between red and yellow if brakes are applied. In FIG. 15 a four relay circuit is disclosed that operates the yellow lights steady on in the no signal mode, changes to red when brake signal is applied, flashes between red and off when both brake and directional signals are applied, and flashes between yellow and off when the directional signal is applied with no brake signal. (Flashing light changes color from yellow to red as the brake pedal is moved). FIG. 16 discloses a two-relay system for vehicles with red brake/directionals that operates the yellow lamps steady on in the no signal condition, illuminates steady red when the brake signal is applied, and flashes between red and yellow on the signaled side when the directional signal is applied.
It is a first object of this invention to describe the means to produce three different electrical control circuits, each one of the three circuits designed to control a two-colored side marker light system on a vehicle with different OEM installed directional signal light options.
It is a second object of this invention that each of the three circuits controls the vehicle two-colored side marker light system in perfect cooperation with the vehicular OEM lighting system and in compliance with NHTSA Federal Motor Vehicle Standard No. 108.
It is a third object of this invention to describe the means to produce an electrical control circuit that will operate a two colored side marker light system in a first mode as added brake lights on both sides of the vehicle, and in a second mode as an emergency flashing system that will alternately flash a first colored light producing means on a first of said vehicle, followed by a second colored light producing means on a second side of said vehicle, and continue the flashing sequence at a fixed flash rate until the flashing circuit power is switched off.
The first three embodiments of this invention overcome an electrical design problem associated with after market automotive two color side marker lighting systems. This problem is identified and described in a letter of interpretation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 by chief counsel Frank Seales Jr. of the NHTSA to Fiber Light Solutions, LLC on Dec. 23, 1998. The problem, as identified by counsel Seales, is that the sidelights on the directional signaled side of the vehicle flash alternately between the two colors red and yellow. The sidelights alternating between red and yellow is not in accord with Standard No. 108 and will tend to confuse other vehicle drivers creating a safety risk. In addition the fourth embodiment of this invention describes a new cost effective means for flashing two lights in an alternating mode of operation for use on emergency vehicles.
The first embodiment of this instant invention is designed for use on a motor vehicle that is equipped with an individual OEM amber or yellow light producing means used only as a directional signal light on at least the left rear and the right rear of the vehicle. Said first embodiment is comprised of a module with an electrical circuit containing six electrical diodes, four 12-vdc relays with a minimum of at least one normally closed contact each, two capacitors and four dc voltage regulators. Said module has electrical input connections from the vehicle brake system, the left and right directional signal system, park light system and from common or vehicle chassis ground. Said module has separate electrical voltage source outputs to the left and right sides of a vehicular two-color side marker light system. Said left side electrical voltage source outputs are comprised of an output to the left yellow light producing means and output to the left red light producing means. Said right side electrical voltage source outputs are comprised of an output to the right side yellow light producing means and the right side red light producing means. Individual vehicle electrical system common connections are also provided to said left and right sides for connection to said red and said yellow light producing means.
The second embodiment of this invention is designed for use on a motor vehicle that is equipped with an OEM red light producing means on at least the left rear and the right rear of the vehicle that functions both as a stoplight and as a directional light. Said second embodiment is comprised of a module with an electrical circuit containing two electrical diodes, two 12-vdc relays with a minimum of at least one normally closed contact each, two capacitors, and four dc voltage regulators. Said module has electrical input connections from the vehicle left and right brake/directional light circuits, park light circuit, and from the vehicle common or chassis ground. Said module has separate electrical voltage source outputs to the left and right sides of a vehicular two-color side marker light system. Said left side electrical voltage source outputs are comprised of an out put to the left yellow light producing means and the left red light producing means. Said right side electrical voltage source outputs are comprised of an output to the right side yellow light producing means and the red light producing means. Individual vehicle electrical system common or chassis ground connections are also provided to said left and right sides for connection to said red and said yellow light producing means.
The third embodiment of this invention is designed for use on a motor vehicle that is equipped with an OEM individual red light producing means used only as a directional signal light on at least the left rear and right rear of the vehicle. Said third embodiment is comprised of a module that contains an electrical circuit with eight electrical diodes, four 12 vdc electrical relays with a least a minimum of one normally closed contact each, four capacitors, and four dc voltage regulators. Said module has individual electrical input connections from the vehicle left and right directional light circuits, the vehicle brake circuit, the vehicle park light circuit, and common or chassis ground. Said module has separate electrical voltage source outputs to the left and right sides of a vehicular two-color side marker light system. Said left side electrical voltage source outputs are comprised of an output to the yellow light producing means and the red light producing means. Said right side electrical voltage source outputs are comprised of an output to the yellow light producing means and the red light producing means. Individual vehicle electrical system common or chassis ground connections are also provided to said left and right sides for connection to said red and said yellow light producing means.
The fourth embodiment of this invention is designed for use on emergency vehicles equipped with two color side marker lighting systems. Said fourth embodiment is comprised of a module that contains an electrical circuit with six electrical diodes, four 12 vdc electrical relays, two relays with form xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d contacts in each and two with at least a minimum of one normally closed contact each, two capacitors, and four dc voltage regulators. Said module has an electrical input connection from the vehicle brake circuit, a switch controlled input from the vehicle electrical system, and an input from the vehicle common or chassis ground. Said module has separate voltage source outputs to the left and right sides of a vehicular two-color side marker light system. Said left side electrical voltage source outputs are comprised of an output to the first colored light producing means and an output to the second colored light producing means. Individual vehicle electrical system common or chassis ground connections are also provided to said left and said right side colored light producing means.